How to Cut Video in After Effects – A Complete Step-By-Step Guide!

Download after effects templates

Want to make simple cuts or trims in After Effects instead of dragging the timeline of the video? Or Looking for efficient ways to crop the video without losing any parts of the footage?

No worries, in this guide, you will get complete information about:

  • What Are After Effects Templates?
  • How To Cut In After Effects?
  • Keyboard Shortcuts to Manipulate Layers in After Effects.
  • How To Trim a Layer in After Effects?
  • And much more….

So without any further discussion, let’s start!

What Are After Effects Templates?

After Effects templates are high-quality templates created by video professionals for fresher or beginners video editors, it is a tool that helps you make big scenes bigger. There is nothing that you can’t create with these amazingly designed templates. 

From intros to titles or generating stunning cinematic movie titles, animate a logo or character, an individual can do everything with these predefined tools.

How to Cut In After Effects?

Here, we have discussed a step-by-step procedure to make a cut in After Effects. All an individual has to do is follow these steps in the same manner as described. 

Have a look!

Step 1: Download After Effects Templates

It is the first step; if you already have after effects templates in your system, move to step 2 discussed below. Otherwise:

  • Open any web browser.
  • Search for “Download After Effects Templates” or “After Effects Templates Download.” (search for any of these two terms that fit suitable to you. )
  • You will see several links regarding the query.
  • Open any authorized link.
  • Read or match prerequisites with your system like memory, ram, hard disk etc.
  • Click on the download button. 
  • Once the download process has been completed, right-click on the icon and hit the “extract all” option. 
  • Now, run the executable file on your system and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process of AE templates.

 Download after effects templates and save your valuable time that requires months or even years to master.

Step 2: Create Composition & Import your Video

  • The second step of this entire process is to create a composition and import your video. For this, first, you have to open a new project and load your video into it.
  • Select new composition, new composition menu has been opened.
  • Choose the resolution and other parameters that you want to add.
  • Now, create your composition.
  • Now all is set to import your video. Just hit  “File” option ->Import -> File
  • Once you import the video, simply, drag it into the timeline as shown below.

Step 3: Editing the Video or Perform Cut In After Effects

  • The next step is editing the video. But, before making any kind of modification in the video, don’t forget to zoom in on the timeline so that you have a clear vision of the starting and ending of the video track.

Now, let’s continue with the main agenda of this topic i.e. how to cut in After Effects?

  • Simply, select the video track in the timeline.
  • Move the cursor to the exact point from where you want to cut the track, 
  • Now split the layer either by using the edit menu i.e. 

Edit -> Split Layer 

Or 

Press the shortcut key i.e. 

Control+Shift+D.

The choice is yours! Consider the below screenshot for reference.

No matter which method you are using to make a cut or trim the layer, ultimately, it will leave you with your video track split, and the remaining part is shifted off into a different layer too.

As a result, you can add transition effects of your choice effortlessly.

One best thing is that you are not restricted to make only a single cut in After Effects templates. 

Yes, you read it right!!! 

You can perform multiple cuts in predefined after effects templates.

Adjust Time Slots

After performing all the above-listed steps, now you can adjust the time slots for particular layers and so on to get the precise effect. Furthermore, you can delete any of the clips that you do not require anymore by simply deleting the layer.

Step 4:  Exporting the file

Once you are done with all the customization, now export your file by clicking on 

File -> Export menu. 

Selecting ‘Add to Render Queue’ presents you with the render menu enabling you to select the settings, filename and destination of the final output as you require.

Pros of Performing Cut In After Effects

There are a plethora of plus points of making cutting this way. Read the below-listed advantages:

  • It makes the processing of complex effects quite easy.
  • It enables you to implement effects on each part of the video independently.
  • Also helps you to perform reordered effortlessly.
  • A video editor can also highlight a point on the timeline where the transition begins and select one from the effect menu.

Final Verdict

These ready-to-go after effect templates are all-in-one tools that a video editor requires to make their footage extraordinary. To bring special effects or to add exciting effects, professionals also use after effects plugins. There are several after effects plugins available online. Just pick the best one for your creations and see the difference!

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